Beam tracking method for mmWave communication and electronic device, electronic device and computer readable storage medium

ABSTRACT

A beam tracking method for mmWave communication method is disclosed. An angle estimation algorithm is performed on all user equipments (UEs) through a low-frequency band to estimate beam angles of the UEs relative to the electronic device. High-frequency band beams of the UEs relative to the electronic device are generated according to the estimated beam angles. The electronic device is enabled to communicate with the UEs according to the generated high-frequency band beams.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The disclosure relates to network communications, and more particularlyto a beam tracking method for millimeter wave (mmWave) communication andelectronic device using the method.

Description of Related Art

With the popularization of various multimedia applications on mobileplatforms, users' demands for communication bandwidth are alsoincreasing that uses mmWave frequency bands to increase bandwidth is themost direct and effective way to improve transmission efficiency anddata capacity. Although high-frequency millimeter waves can provide alarge available bandwidth, the propagation and penetration lossesencountered by radio waves in their frequency bands are also very high,and there will be serious energy loss. Therefore, it is necessary todesign a beamforming technique by an antenna array to improve theantenna gain to realize long-distance communication.

However, because the beams formed by the antenna array are directional,when the mobile communication terminals move, the beams will bemisaligned with each other and there will be significant signal drop.

However, since beams formed by an antenna array are directional, whenmobile communication terminals move, the beams thereof may be misalignedwith each other to result in significant signal drop. How to make themmWave beams can be adjusted with the user's movement in order tomaintain good communication quality needs to be achieved throughdifferent beam tracking algorithms.

To implement an angle estimation algorithm for beam tracking on mmWave,there must be a large number of RF signal chains in an antenna module toconnect each antenna in an antenna array. The signal chain may alsoinclude data converters, filters, power amplifiers and other components,which in turn lead to a significant increase in the size, heat and costof mmWave radio frequency.

Based on the above considerations, most of commercial transfer systemsfirst set up multiple sets of fixed-angle beams, and beam scanning andbeam tracking are performed via rapidly switching beam sets duringcommunication. However, without implementing the angle estimationalgorithm, the communication between a base station and a mobileterminal may cause the problem of beam misalignment, and, especially ifthe beam precision of the base station is higher, this situation is moreobvious.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood withreference to the following figures. The components in the figures arenot necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed uponclearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover,in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views. Implementations of the present technologywill now be described, by way of embodiments, with reference to theattached figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a first embodiment of a beam tracking methodfor mmWave communication method of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a second embodiment of a beam tracking methodfor mmWave communication method of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the hardware architectureof an electronic device using the method of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of functional blocks ofan intellectual audit scheduling module of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of functional blocks ofan intellectual audit scheduling module of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration,where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among thedifferent figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. Inaddition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide athorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, itwill be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that theembodiments described herein can be practiced without these specificdetails. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components havenot been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevantfeature being described. Also, the description is not to be consideredas limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawingsare not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may beexaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the presentdisclosure.

Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now bepresented.

The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but notnecessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusionor membership in the so-described combination, group, series, and thelike.

Physical property of a millimeter wave (mmWave) frequency band is verydifferent from that of a general sub-6 GHz frequency band. Previousstudies have figured out that channel correlation parameters of themmWave band can be derived from channel coefficients of the sub-6 GHzband when spatial correlations of the two band are consistent. In otherwords, a common angle estimation algorithm, such as angle of arrival(AOA), can be implemented in the sub-6 GHz band, and the estimatedangles can be provided to the high-frequency (mmWave) system asreference information to adjust angles of mmWave beams to obtain moreaccurate directions of the mobile devices.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a first embodiment of a beam tracking methodfor mmWave communication method of the present disclosure. According todifferent needs, the order of the steps in the flowchart can be changed,and some steps can be omitted.

In step S11, an angle estimation algorithm is performed on all userequipments (UEs) through a low-frequency band (e.g., sub-6 GHz) toestimate beam angles of the UEs relative to a base station.

In step S12, high-frequency band beams of the UEs relative to the basestation are generated according to the estimated beam angles.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, each packet transmitted,from a UE, to the base station comprises a user-defined field storing aparameter, Active_BeamTracking. As Active_BeamTracking=1, the basestation performs beam tracking on the UE.

In step S13, the base station communicates with the UEs according to thegenerated mmWave beam.

It is noted that the steps S11 to S13 refer to an initialization stageof the UE.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a second embodiment of a beam tracking methodfor mmWave communication method of the present disclosure. According todifferent needs, the order of the steps in the flowchart can be changed,and some steps can be omitted.

In step S21, steps S11 to S13 are performed on the base station and allUEs within the signal range of the base station, so as to enable thebase station to communicate with the UEs according to the generatedmmWave beam.

In step S22, the base station performs data transmission with the UEs.

In step S23, when one of the UEs, for example, a first UE, moves, it isdetermined whether the beam tracking is performed on the first UE. Ifthe beam tracking is not performed on the first UE, the process proceedsto step S22 and the base station continuously performs data transmissionwith the first UE.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, each packet transmitted,from the first UE, to the base station comprises a user-defined fieldstoring a parameter, Active_BeamTracking. As Active_BeamTracking=1, thebase station performs beam tracking on the first UE.

In step S24, if the beam tracking is performed on the first UE,Active_BeamTracking=1 at present, steps S11 to S13 are performed on thefirst UE, so as to enable the base station to communicate with the firstUE according to the generated mmWave beam.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the hardware architectureof an electronic device using the beam tracking method for mmWavecommunication method of the present disclosure. The electronic device200 may be, but is not limited to, connected to a processor 210, amemory 220, and a beam tracking system for mmWave communication 230 viasystem buses. The electronic device 200 shown in FIG. 6 may include moreor fewer components than those illustrated, or may combine certaincomponents.

The memory 220 stores a computer program, such as the beam trackingmethod for mmWave communication system 230, which is executable by theprocessor 210. When the processor 210 executes the beam tracking methodfor mmWave communication system 230, the blocks in one embodiment of thebooting mode configuration method applied in the electronic device 200are implemented, such as blocks S11 to S13 shown in FIGS. 1 and S21 toS24 shown in FIG. 2 .

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that FIG. 3 is merelyan example of the electronic device 200 and does not constitute alimitation to the electronic device 200. The electronic device 200 mayinclude more or fewer components than those illustrated, or may combinecertain components. The electronic device 200 may also include input andoutput devices, network access devices, buses, and the like.

The processor 210 may be a central processing unit (CPU), or othergeneral-purpose processors, a digital signal processor (DSP), anapplication specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a Field-ProgrammableGate Array (FPGA), or another programmable logic device, discrete gateor transistor logic device, discrete hardware components, or the like.The processor 210 may be a microprocessor or other processor known inthe art.

The memory 220 can be used to store the beam tracking method for mmWavecommunication system 230 and/or modules/units by running or executingcomputer programs and/or modules/units stored in the memory 220. Thememory 220 may include a storage program area and a storage data area.In addition, the memory 220 may include a high-speed random accessmemory, a non-volatile memory such as a hard disk, a plug-in hard disk,a smart memory card (SMC), and a secure digital (SD) card, flash card,at least one disk storage device, flash device, or another volatilesolid state storage device.

The beam tracking method for mmWave communication system 230 can bepartitioned into one or more modules/units that are stored in the memory220 and executed by the processor 210. The one or more modules/units maybe a series of computer program instructions capable of performingparticular functions of the beam tracking method for mmWavecommunication system 230.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of functional blocksof the electronic device using the method of the present disclosure.

The electronic device 200 comprises a low-frequency band calculatingmodule 310, a high-frequency band calculating module 320 and acommunication module 330.

The low-frequency band calculating module 310 performs an angleestimation algorithm on all user equipments (UEs) through alow-frequency band (e.g., sub-6 GHz) to estimate beam angles of the UEsrelative to a base station.

The high-frequency band calculating module 320 generates high-frequencyband (mmWhave) beams of the UEs relative to the base station accordingto the estimated beam angles.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, each packet transmitted,from a UE, to the base station comprises a user-defined field storing aparameter, Active_BeamTracking. As Active_BeamTracking=1, the basestation performs beam tracking on the UE.

The communication module 330 communicates with the UEs according to thegenerated mmWave beam.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of functionalblocks of the electronic device using the method of the presentdisclosure.

The electronic device 200 comprises a low-frequency band calculatingmodule 310, a high-frequency band calculating module 320, acommunication module 330, a data transmitting module 340 and a beamtracking module 350.

The low-frequency band calculating module 310 performs an angleestimation algorithm on all user equipments (UEs) through alow-frequency band (e.g., sub-6 GHz) to estimate beam angles of the UEsrelative to a base station.

The high-frequency band calculating module 320 generates high-frequencyband (mmWhave) beams of the UEs relative to the base station accordingto the estimated beam angles.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, each packet transmitted,from a UE, to the base station comprises a user-defined field storing aparameter, Active_BeamTracking. As Active_BeamTracking=1, the basestation performs beam tracking on the UE.

The communication module 330 communicates with the UEs according to thegenerated mmWave beam.

The data transmitting module 340 performs data transmission with theUEs.

When one of the UEs, for example, a first UE, moves, the beam trackingmodule 350 determines whether the beam tracking is performed on thefirst UE. If the beam tracking is not performed on the first UE, thedata transmitting module 340 continuously performs data transmissionwith the first UE.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, each packet transmitted,from the first UE, to the base station comprises a user-defined fieldstoring a parameter, Active_BeamTracking. As Active_BeamTracking=1, thebase station performs beam tracking on the first UE.

If the beam tracking is performed on the first UE, Active_BeamTracking=1at present, the low-frequency band calculating module 310, thehigh-frequency band calculating module 320 and the communication module330 performs the afore-mentioned steps on the first UE, so as to enablethe beam tracking module 350 to communicate with the first UE accordingto the generated mmWave beam.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of the present disclosure have been setforth in the foregoing description, together with details of thestructure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure isillustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially inmatters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principlesof the present disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broadgeneral meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A beam tracking method for mmWave communicationmethod executable by an electronic device, comprising: performing anangle estimation algorithm on all user equipments (UEs) through alow-frequency band to estimate beam angles of the UEs relative to theelectronic device; generating high-frequency band beams of the UEsrelative to the electronic device according to the estimated beamangles; and enabling the electronic device to communicate with the UEsaccording to the generated high-frequency band beams.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: enabling the base station to perform datatransmission with the UEs; determining, when a first UE of the UEsmoves, whether beam tracking is performed on the first UE; if the beamtracking is performed on the first UE, re-generating high-frequency bandbeams of the first UE relative to the electronic device; and enablingthe electronic device to communicate with the first UE according to thegenerated high-frequency band beams.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein:each packet transmitted, from a UE, to the electronic device comprises auser-defined field storing a parameter, Active_BeamTracking; and whenActive_BeamTracking=1, the electronic device performs the beam trackingon the UE.
 4. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storinggame program which causes a computer to execute: a process of performingan angle estimation algorithm on all user equipments (UEs) through alow-frequency band to estimate beam angles of the UEs relative to theelectronic device; a process of generating high-frequency band beams ofthe UEs relative to the electronic device according to the estimatedbeam angles; and a process of enabling the electronic device with theUEs according to the generated high-frequency band beams.
 5. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, furthercomprising: a process of enabling the base station to perform datatransmission with the UEs; a process of determining, when a first UE ofthe UEs moves, whether beam tracking is performed on the first UE; aprocess of, if the beam tracking is performed on the first UE,re-generating high-frequency band beams of the first UE relative to theelectronic device; and a process of enabling the electronic device tocommunicate with the first UE according to the generated high-frequencyband beams.